Improvement in wagon-bodies



J. SOMMER e1. s.,wH|TMiRE.

Improvement in Wagon Bodies.

Patented April 16, i372l -Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON-BODIES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,701, dated'April 16, 1872.

To all zrhom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JACOB Som/IER and JAMEs S. WHITMIRE, both of Metamora, in the county of Woodford and in the State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in VagonBoxes and Top-Boxes ofthe same; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specification, in which like letters of reference refer to like parts, and in which- Figure l represents a sectional elevation 5 Fig. 2, a plan of same; Fig. 3, interior elevation of side of wagon and top-box; Figure 4, end elevation from interior 5 Fig. 5, plan of side or of Fig. 8, being a plan both of the side of box and of the top-box.

This invention consists in strengthening a wagon-box with strips of iron so as to obviate the use of brace-rods and nuts, bolts, &c., the better to prevent warping, splitting, and breaking of the component boards.

Long bed-irons b b run the whole length of the surface of the upper edge of each side piece and end piece composing the box and top-box, and pass round the corners and form the angle-stays b b and d d, etc., but the similar angle-stays d d of the end-gates B D2 pass beyond their respective corners over and down the exterior' of the adjoining sides A A or D1 Dl (top-box) and form a strong clamp or stay without recourse to stay-rods77 across from side-board to sideboard A A. The endgates B, at either end of the lower box A A O, slide between vertical cleats m m m m fixed to the side-boards and the above-described iron strap d on its upper edge, to which it is screwed, confine the respective side-boards A A to the gates, the angle-irons d Z of said strap passing down the `exterior of the said side-boards. A vertical pin, 7c, pivoted to the middle lower part of each end-gate, passes through the wagon-botto1n C, and is secured below the latter, or the holsters e e, by a spring-key, g. A spring-catch, t, performs the same oifice--zl e., retaining the upper or top-box gate D2 in its place for the upper end-gates D2 D2-and engage a hook, i, at its lower end in a recess in the lower end-gate B. The sides A A are secured (in a common manner or by a means commonly employed) to .the holsters e e e--i. e., by rods h screwed to the said side-boards A A, `which terminate below said holsters', which they penetrate in a nut. The top-box consists of the usual four pieces D1 Dl D2 D2, which are separable or only form a box when slipped onto the lower one, A B O. vFor this purpose .the side pieces D1 Dl have several projecting straps, et a a, affixed to the interior surface of each, which pass onto and over a part of the surface of the lower side-boards A A, so as to preserve a continuity of surface between them. The end-gates of the top-box have alsoV similar straps, a a, for the same purpose. As before described, the top-'box end-gates are provided with similar iron straps, d d d d, on the upper edges to those (d d) of the lower-box end-gates B B, and which similarly clasp the side pieces D1 D1; and this strap, together with the hooked catch fi, are all the means employed to keep the top-box intact with the lower box. The iron straps b b of the side pieces A A are represented discontinuous at the points under the angle-irons d d d d in the model 5 but I also make and use them continous throughout, and construct them with a recess at said points to receive the angleirons d d.

The operation of this invention is as follows: The sides A A are held vertically above the bed C by the bolts h h, &c., otherwise called screw-rods,77 or any other simple means is equally adaptable to my improvement. The end-gates B B are now inserted within the cleats m m m m at each end of the box, the overlapping strap d d at each end ofthe gate clasping its adjacent side piece A. Next the pivoted catch k is secured by passing the spring-key g through the slot at its point below the. bolster e, this point having iirst been duly inserted in its hole before forcing the end-gate down into its place. The top-box Dl D1 D2 D2 is now erected, the straps a a a on all being slid onto the inner side of the box A A and end-gates B B, and the end-gates (upper) D2 D2 pressed into place within the upper cleats 1pm m of the upper sides D1 D1 at the same time that the straps d d or angleirons embrace the said sides D1 Dl and the spring-hooks z' enter their respective recesses in either lower end-gate B B at either end of the wagon.

What we claim as our invention is 1. The combination and construction ofthe Wagon-box, consisting of the side-boards A A, straps b b b b, and elbows b b b b b b b b, cleats m m m m m m m m, the end-gates B at either end of the box, with pivoted screwrod k, and iron strap d with elbows d d d d, as described.

2. In combination with the wagon-box A B C, &c., the top-box, constructed with two sideboards Dl D1, with their respective iron straps or tongues a a a, &c., cleats m m m m, 8vo., and

their endgates D2 ID2 with their respective strap-irons d d, with 'terminal elbows d d d d d d d d, and catches i i, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing wagon-box and side-boards, we have hereunto set our hands this 26th day of February, 1872.

, J AGOB SOMMER.

JAMES S. WHITMIRE.

Witnesses:

J oHN BOWEN, L. J. EGBERT. 

